Cultural variation in attachment

Question 1

Ijzendoorn and Kroonberg (88):

aim of the study?

Answer 1

• researched attachment types in different cultures

- did 32 “strange situation” studies in 8 countries (15 in US) with 1990 kids in total

Question 2

Ijzendoorn and Kroonberg:

procedure of the study?

Answer 2

• conducted ainsworths strange situation study

- data was meta-analysed (combined and weighted for sample size)

Question 3

Ijzendoorn and Kroonberg:

findings of the study?

Answer 3

• secure attachment was most common (50% in china, 75% in UK)
• in individualist culture insecure resistant in under 14% (same as Ainsworth original sample)
• in collectivist cultures insecure resistant was over 28% (insecure avoidant was reduced)
• shows cultural difference in insecure attachments

Question 4

Simonelli et al:

aim of the study?

Answer 4

76 italian babies studied to test attachment types compared to original study

Question 5

Simonelli et al:

aim of the procedure?

Answer 5

• studied the infants with the strange situation and compared it to italy’s results in the Ijzendoorn study
• mothers varied in education (57% from uni, 40% just high school) and in employment (48% full time employed)

Question 6

Simonelli et al:

findings of the study?

Answer 6

• found 50% secure, 36% insecure avoidant (lower secure rate than first thought
• suggested this is due to mothers working long hours and cultural change effects patterns in attachment

Question 7

positive evaluation:

meta-analysis means you can end up with very large samples

Answer 7

• Ijzendoorn and kroonberg meta-analysis there were nearly 2000 babies and their primary attachments
• even Simonelli’s study had large comparison groups from previous research (although own sample smaller)
  increases validity by reducing the impact of biased methodology or outliers

Question 8

negative evaluation:

the method may be biased towards American/ British culture

Answer 8

• designed by an American (Ainsworth) and based on British theory (Bowlby)
• trying to apply a theory to a different culture is imposed ethics which disregards cultural uniqueness
• lack of pleasure on reunion indicated insecure attachment - but in Germany this is just independence

Question 9

negative evaluation:

temperament may be a confounding variable in the strange situation

Answer 9

• assumed the main influence on anxiety was quality of attachment
• Kagan (82) suggests temperament is a more important influence on behavior
• the study may be measuring differences in temperament between cultures rather than attachment styles